Charlie, all alone in his best suit leaning against the wall while watching couples slow dancing to a romantic tune is in isolation. We see him observing the people on the dance floor, then slowly make his way through the crowd towards two new friends he made a few days before. Awkwardly, carefully. He cautiously places himself into the society. The two friends welcome him passionately, embracing him in their queer dance moves. He belongs.
For some reason, that scene, and that line from the back of the book, The Perks of being a Wall Flower stayed with me throughout the film. As I see the protagonist, Charlie navigate his way through life, trying to forget his past traumas, joining new people, I can't help but relate to him in many ways. Yes, that was teenage-hood; albeit being without the terrors that surrounded his childhood, the anxiety was still the same. Being alone, fearing loneliness, the reluctance or fear to be assertive. The need for communication to save yourself. The acute need for friends to be sane, to be in touch with your insecurities.
I like how the film isn't concerned with unnecessary narratives, or elaborate exhibitions of emotions. We are left to pick up clues on the factors leading to Charlie's present condition from conversations, flashbacks, diary entries. They're not difficult to interpret. The focus, is not on what happened, but rather on his journey of recovery.
“Sometimes people use thought to not participate in life.”
Yes, well, yes. That's true. Somehow just at this confusing age of teenage-hood communication and friendship becomes the core of all activities. Everyone is obsessed with it; anyone without it is a weirdo. Yet at some point in life, we come to realize how different all of us are. We may think we are weird, because no one else seems like us. For me, the feeling grows to discontent as I fail to find connection. The feelings expand, and the weirdness extends to all areas in life and I find myself disconnected. Connected, but still somehow disconnected. There are two ways to take, one to the "normal" as thought; the other to maintain my stand and remain the same. Yet at the end, the things we all want are still the same- friendship, understanding, love, care. I discovered that to get what you want, you have to work towards it; it will not come to you, so stop being so obstinate, refusing to budge. Your grand idea of being indifferent to peer pressure is of no substance.
"Charlie, don't you get it? I can't feel that. It's sweet and everything, but it's like you're not even there sometimes. It's great that you can listen and be a shoulder to someone, but what about when someone doesn't need a shoulder. What if they need the arms or something like that? You can't just sit there and put everybody's lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love. You just can't. You have to do things."
Participate.
He felt infinite when they were driving through the tunnel listening to an awesome song that seemed to be the embodiment of their youth, their joy. No one knew what the song was, and they searched for it all through the movie. The song captured that moment, an ordinary action serving as a point in life so crucial. A time never to be forgotten. It's just like how a random song in the radio reminds me of the nostalgic memories of certain friends, certain people.
Finally, at the end of it, they found it. They found the song.
The time will come, when things will get better.
Fight for those moments, and be not afraid- those great times will come again. Persevere through current troubles.
" We could be heroes, just for one day!"
